Palestinian militants continued to launch rockets attacks into Israel. Three more attacks were noted early Friday morning. The militants launched their rockets from the Gaza Strip. The attacks resulted in no casualties.
On Thursday, Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert apologized 'from the depths of my being' for the loss of civilian life in recent Israeli air strikes aimed at militants carrying out rocket attacks against Israel.
Olmert noted that the targeting of militants would continue. 'Israel will continue to carry out targeted attacks against terrorists and those who try to harm Israeli citizens,' Olmert explained. 'I am deeply sorry for the residents of Gaza but the lives, security and well-being of the residents of Sderot is no less important,' he noted, mentioning the southern Israeli town usually targeted by Palestinian rockets.
Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas called on Palestinians to end rocket attacks, saying they only brought reprisals and were not helpful to the cause of an independent Palestinian state. Hamas, which now leads the P.A., has called the rocket attacks 'legitimate acts of resistance' against Israel.
Olmert met with Abbas informally on Thursday. At the meeting, Olmert apologized to Abbas for the civilian deaths and called Abbas 'sincere' in his wishes for peace negotiations. The two leaders agreed to meet again in the coming weeks.
